141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

284548
Local health department transformation- advancing the new public health

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 8:30 AM - 8:50 AM

Jessica Riccardo, MPH , Administration, New Orleans Health Department, New Orleans, LA
Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc , Office of the Mayor, City of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
Charlotte Parent, RN, MHCM , Administration, New Orleans Health Department, New Orleans, LA
In 2011, 60% of the New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) budget funded struggling primary care clinics. The department lacked basic policies and procedures, programs operated in isolation, and though all City organizations were facing cuts, the possibility of disbanding the Health Department was under consideration.

Expending extensive resources on primary care inhibited the department from performing the primary public health functions of assessment, assurance, and policy development. Department leadership set a vision to transform into a 21st century model for the nation, capable of addressing the serious population health challenges of modern New Orleans. NOHD executed an ambitious transformation plan, transitioning out of primary care and using the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation standards as a framework to build organizational capacity and provide excellent public health services.

From 2011 to 2012, NOHD staff dropped from 137 to 75 and the budget shrank over 30%. However, with a focus on quality and performance improvement and a commitment to rethinking public health, the Department has made remarkable advancement for sustainable health improvement.

Given a limited general fund budget for programs or operations, NOHD has established itself as a convener, working with diverse partners to facilitate, link, and leverage resources for improved health outcomes. In this role, NOHD facilitates partnership initiatives to assure access to care, prevent violence, promote healthy lifestyles, enrich family health, and enhance the local public health system through community collaboration and engagement. Internally, NOHD has established performance management, workforce development, and other elements of administrative infrastructure to deliver the highest quality service.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
Describe a model for transition of direct services to community providers Discuss application of the “New Public Health” in a local health department setting Identify keys to success for departmental transformation

Keywords: Accreditation, Leadership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I served as the Transformation Lead for the department throughout the primary care transition and managed the strategic planning, reorganization, financial restructuring, and capacity building of the transformation.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.